Chateau Marquette: Luxe Lakefront Cape Cod Retreat

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The Space Chateau Marquette is a four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath Cape Cod set in The Riviera neighborhood of New Buffalo, Michigan — seventy-five minutes from Chicago’s North Shore, Gold Coast, and Lincoln Park, and worth every mile. The house was fully renovated to a brief that lives somewhere between Ralph Lauren and Wes Anderson — Cape Cod bones, English country layers, color held in check by a Slim Aarons hand. A gabled canopy at the front door with a shingled roof and tongue-and-groove ceiling. It's killer! Inside: hotel-grade linens, Aesop in every bath, brass pulls, a kitchen that creates chef's kisses, and a fireplace in the living room for the months that earn it. Bedrooms — The Rose Suite (primary): main floor, king bed with views to the back yard, scalloped rose headboard, beadboard walls, ensuite bath — The Blue Room: king bed, blue-on-blue-on-blue... you'll love it — The Garden Room: full-sized Jenny Lind bed, wrapped in nasturtium wallpaper... the room every guest claims first — The Sunshine Bunk Room: four single beds — the kids’ table of the weekend and are they going to have fun! The Kitchen Wolf range. Mint SMEG. Bosch dishwasher. KitchenAid mixer. Nespresso machine and traditional coffee. Checkerboard floors, breakfast table and banquette, and a dry bar with a simple 'take one, leave one' policy.... Stocked the way you’d stock it yourself if you were planning to cook a real dinner. The Dining Room Plaid walls, bamboo blinds, candlelit by 6pm in November. Set for eight, comfortable for ten. The Living Room Former wood-burning converted to gas fireplace. Lake light. A sofa that earns its hours. The Theater & Game Room (lower level) Two matching queen-size sleeper sofas. A 100-inch screen. An arcade cabinet, bumper pool, a poker table, a popcorn machine, and a snack bar that takes itself seriously. A reading nook if looking for a peaceful getaway. The plan B that often becomes plan A. Outdoors A cedar hot tub. A SaunaLife CL5G four-person outdoor cube sauna with a Harvia heater and real stones. A Kamado Joe ceramic grill and a gas grill, side by side. An outdoor shower for after the beach. A café-lite framed patio, a fire pit a few steps off, and a magnolia in the yard that is mind-blowing in May. And — across the street — a private stretch of Lake Michigan beach, reached through deeded beach rights reserved for homes in The Riviera neighborhood. A 2 minute walk or 30 second bike ride. Bring the beach cart with the umbrella, the cooler and beach chairs. Bring the cabana and the stand-up paddle boards... or just go for a barefoot walk during sunset with a glass of wine... Guest Access The entire home, the yard (Fido-friendly fully enclosed), the hot tub, the sauna, and the theater are yours for the duration of the stay. Guests have deeded beach rights to The Riviera’s private Lake Michigan beach across the street — a stretch reserved for homes in the neighborhood, not a public beach, and not solely the property’s. Six bikes, two stand-up paddleboards, a kayak, four boogie boards, the Yeti Haul cooler, and a full set of Business & Pleasure beach gear (beach cart, chairs, umbrella, towels) live in the garage and are part of the stay. There’s a Tesla EV-charger in the driveway. The firewood is split and stacked. The pantry has the staples — salt, pepper, olive oil, coffee, tea — so you can drive in late and still make breakfast. The Neighborhood You’re in Harbor Country — the stretch of southwest Michigan coast that Chicago has quietly claimed as its weekend. Think Nantucket without the ferry... Some of our favorite local haunts: —Walkable: Postboy, Stray Dog, Nancy’s Ice Cream, Barney's Grocery, the farmers market, and (yes) a Starbucks if you need one — Granor Farm for the totally unique, Michelin-recognized, farm dinner — Red Arrow Roasters for coffee and biscuits — Redamak’s for the burger — the institution — Susan’s, Alan Rays, and Ray & Al’s — Farmette and the Three Oaks farmer’s market on Saturdays — Greenbush Brewing in Three Oaks — Journeyman Distillery for the tour and the dinner that follows — Spring Creek Equestrian Center for a morning in the saddle — Warren Dunes State Park for the climb — Round Barn, Tabor Hill, Domaine Berrien — the wines you didn’t know Michigan made — St. Joseph and South Haven for a day trip up the coast The Riviera itself is a quiet, tree-lined neighborhood of Cape Cod and shingle-style houses. It has the best beach in Harbor Country. Getting Around New Buffalo is seventy-five minutes from the Loop in normal traffic, ninety in summer. Free parking on-site for three to four cars. The Tesla charger in the driveway is yours. The South Shore Line stops in New Buffalo if you’d rather take the train — the bikes at the house can take you where you want to go. South Bend Regional (SBN) is the closest commercial airport, about thirty-five minutes away. Once you’re here, most of the good stuff is bikeable. Other Things to Note — The cedar hot tub and the SaunaLife sauna are both fantastic. We’ll walk you through both in your pre-arrival note. — The beach is private to The Riviera neighborhood and is reached by a short walk across and down the street. Please bring out what you bring in. Lake Michigan’s worth it. — Quiet hours after 10pm, in keeping with New Buffalo Township’s STR ordinance and out of respect for the neighborhood. No indoor cameras anywhere but there are non-recording noise monitors on the 1st floor and outside; both disclosed and clearly visible. — No parties, events, or photo / film shoots — for all of those, write to us first. — Dog-friendly with prior approval and a pet fee. Tell us about them when you book. — Maximum twelve guests, including kids and infants. The house is built for that number. — ChavaViva Ventures is a small family holding company. We live in Chicago, have a home in this area that we love to enjoy, and have one rental home — this one. When you message through Airbnb, you’re talking to the family.